This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Many modern automotive vehicles, such as crossover vehicles, are available with an all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrain that is based on a front-wheel drive (FWD) architecture. This optional drivetrain arrangement permits drive torque to be selectively and/or automatically transferred from the powertrain to both the primary (i.e., front) driveline and the secondary (i.e., rear) driveline to provide better traction. Such AWD vehicles are typically equipped with a much more complex drivetrain (relative to a FWD architecture) which, in addition to the primary driveline, must include the additional components associated with the secondary driveline such as a power take-off unit, a propshaft and a rear drive module (RDM).
The RDM typically includes a differential unit to provide differential torque to a pair of secondary drive wheels (i.e., left and right rear wheels). In certain driving conditions, it can be beneficial to provide equal torque to both secondary drive wheels. Locking differentials configured to lock the differential unit to provide equal torque to each of the secondary drive wheels are generally known in the art. Such locking differentials typically incorporate a differential locking system including an actuator and additional locking parts to lock the differential unit for equal output.
Additionally, in an effort to minimize driveline losses associated with rotating components in the primary and secondary drivelines, which are either driven by the primary driveline or back-driven by the vehicle wheels, it is generally known to incorporate a separate disconnect system in the RDM unit that is configured to uncouple components of the secondary driveline such as, for example, the rear wheels or the rear differential from the remainder of the secondary driveline such as the propshaft for example. To this end, there remains a need in the art for development of improved driveline components for use in the disconnectable drivelines of AWD vehicles.